


That's Not Me

by OddBecca11



Category: Austin & Ally
Genre: Austin acting as someone else, Austin isn't who he says he is, Business Deals, Cruise Ships, Dez 'kidnaps' Austin, F/M, Gen, british accents, rich people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-03-25 15:19:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3815299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OddBecca11/pseuds/OddBecca11
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Austin Moon gets mistaken for a wealthy British teenager, Alistair Kennington, whom of which no one has seen in person. He gets forced onto a cruise ship and has to pretend to be this guy, all the while 'Austin Moon' goes missing for a week. Meanwhile, something is going on inside the ship, which puts Austin right in the middle of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer : I do not own the characters of ** _Austin & Ally_ **, but the plot is mine :)**

* * *

 

Austin Moon took a deep breath, smelling the stale air that surrounded the boardwalk. The wind was gently blowing through, his hair moving along with it. He started walking down the walk. He unbuttoned his jacket and placed his hands in his pants pockets.

He couldn't believe he had to be dragged to this stupid company dinner that his father and mother were invited too. He didn't understand why he had to come too. His father made him dress in his best suit, so he did. His mother had put on a fancy purple dress, and his father's tie matched it. He always loved how they 'had' to match.

It was just getting too boring in there, and Austin felt all clammy and uncomfortable. While Mike was talking with some of the other men there, he turned to his mother, said he needed some air and was going for a walk. She told him 10 minutes, and he just nodded before walking out of the restaurant.

He walked on the boardwalk, past a cruise liner ship. He stopped for a second, looking at the people who were on the top - the lido deck. They looked like they were having a good time. He noticed a few of them were dressed really formal. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, then continued walking.

"Hey!" Someone behind him yelled, "Hey! Stop!" they said. Austin turned around, just in time to see a boy almost fall on the ground. Austin flung his arms out, catching him and pulling him back up. "Whoa!" Austin exclaimed, "Are you okay?" He asked. The boy, about his age maybe, had red hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a suit as well, with an orange colored bow-tie.

"Fine, fine. Thanks." He said, panting slightly. "I need your help!" He exclaimed, holding tightly onto Austin's arms. "What? With what?" Austin asked. "I need you to pretend to be someone for me! Please, I'll pay you or whatever you want. Please!" He said, slightly shaking Austin.

"Uh.."

"Is that a 'yes'? Yes!"

"Whoa, hold on! Wait!" Austin said, but it seemed the boy didn't hear him, or he was just ignoring him. In a quick movement, the boy buttoned up Austin's jacket and then maneuvered behind him, starting to push him back toward the cruise liner. The two didn't even hear the soft thump Austin's phone made when it fell out of his pocket and smacked against the boardwalk. The boy began naming things off about this person who he was supposed to be.

"Okay, great! Your name is Alistair Kennington, and you're super rich. You've never been seen in person, this is the first time. You're parents were killed in an accident last year and you're still healing. You're the heir to their fortune, which is almost a billion dollars." He said, quick with the pace. He was still pushing Austin.

Austin tried to cut in, but the boy was still pushing him up the ramp and before he knew it he was already in the lobby of the liner. Austin paused, taking a long look. There was a semi-circle desk with a few people signing in. There were three glass elevators across the way, and leading behind them was a double staircase, one on each side.

Austin looked up through the large atrium, seeing 5 more upper floors and a large skylight on the ceiling. Austin spun in a full circle, looking at the interior of the liner and seeing the people walk by. Some were dressed casual, while others were dressed quite formal. Austin was pulled out of his thoughts by the boy next to him taking in a gasp.

Austin turned to the red head, seeing how he was tense and somehow nervous. His eyes were wide. "Hey, are you okay?" Austin asked, put a hand on the boys arm. There was no response. He was staring at some older couple..that was walking towards them.

"Ah, you must be Alistair. Dezmond here said he would find you." The man said, dressed in a navy blue suit with a black tie. There was a woman next to him with brunette hair tied in a bun. She was wearing a red silk dress and she was holding a silver clutch purse in her hand.

Austin didn't know what to say for a second, then saw the boy 'Dezmond' apparently. He was quite pale, nervous looking. Austin sighed in his head, remembering he said that this Alistair guy was British. He took one last look to Dezmond, then cleared his throat. "Uh, yes. That's me. You are?" He asked, in his best accent. "Robert Hathaway, my wife Sophia." The man said, introducing them both, "I was a business partner and good friend to your father." He explained.

Suddenly, the man looked very sad. The woman, Susan, put her hand over his, then she spoke, "We've only recently heard about them. We're very sorry for your loss. We feel terrible, we can't imagine how you feel." She explained.

Austin did his best to appear sad, he couldn't imagine his parents being dead. "Thank you. It's been...hard. I've been doing better." Austin said. Robert nodded, "We understand. I hope to see you at dinner tomorrow night?" Before Austin could reply, Dezmond stepped forward, "Oh yes! Mr. Kennington will definitely be there."

Robert and his wife smiled to Austin, and he tried his best not to looked shocked, and gave them his own weak smile. Robert slipped an arm around Sophia's waist and the two walked away, Robert stopping for a second and turning back to Austin, "Nice to finally meet you, Alistair." He said, before leaving. Austin turned to Dezmond once more when they were out of sight. Once again, before Austin could say anything, a loud horn went off, echoing through the entire cruise liner.

Austin turned around and saw someone seal the doors shut. "Are we leaving?!" He practically shouted at Dezmond, hands shaking his shoulders. Dezmond's own eyes were wide, "Uh, yes?"

"No. No, no. Nononono" Austin said in a murmur. He scrambled away from Dezmond toward the door. "Whoa, hey!" Dezmond said, grabbing his arm. "Where are you going?" He asked, holding Austin in place. "I can't be here! My parents are expecting me back!" Austin almost yelled.

Dezmond shushed him, then started pulling him towards the hallways where a few of the rooms were located. He ignored Austin's retort of "Where are we going?" and unlocked one of the first few rooms, pulled Austin inside and shut the door behind them.

Austin looked around the room. It had tan wooden walls, a creme colored curtain on the far side wall that hid the entrance to the small balcony. The carpet was a light brown with red swirling in an abstract design. There were two double beds, each with white sheets and a blue blanket folded near the bottom. They had two striped pillows on each and then two plain white ones under those. The bed had a marble rock headboard and a black end table in between them. On top of the table, a red lamp with a square tan shade. Across the beds was a door that most likely led to a bathroom. Next to the door, a large T.V. sat on a dresser.

"Whose room is this?" Austin asked, turning back to Dezmond. "Mine. I share it with my two friends. My friend's father is a businessman and she invited us to come with her." Dezmond explained. Austin nodded. Dezmond clapped his hands together, "So, I'm Dezmond, as you heard Robert call me. But I like to be called Dez."

He stuck his hand out, waiting for Austin to take it. Austin stared for a few seconds before shaking his head, "Austin." He said, shaking it. Dez nodded, giving him a small smile. The two boys were quiet in the room, both just standing there, looking anywhere but each other.

"I hope you realize that you've basically just kidnapped me, right?" Austin said, finally looking at the other boy. The boy suddenly became frantic, rubbing his hands together and starting to pace back and forth, "I know, I know! I was in panic mode and you were the first person I saw with blonde hair. I'm really sorry."

Before Austin could respond, the door opened. Two girls walked in, one with black hair and one brunette. The girl with black hair had said hair styled in curls, and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a short dress that fell to her knees, the bust being a shiny gold with the skirt part was black. She also had black flats.

The brunette was taller than her. The brunette's hair was wavy, and she had brown eyes. She was wearing a shiny light blue strapless dress with a white lace belt around the waist. She had white heels on and a pretty necklace with a red gem on it. The brunette spoke up first, "Dez?"

Dez gave a small weak chuckle and a slow wave, "Uh...Hey.."

* * *

 

Mimi set her champagne glass down and spared another glance ate her watch. Mike noticed it, and leaned closer to hear, not wanting to interrupt the others' conversations. "What is it, dear? That's the third time you've looked at your watch." He asked. "Nothing, I suppose," She answered, "Austin should've been back by now."

Mike was about to say something, but was interrupted by a loud horn, probably from the cruise ship they had seen before walking into the restaurant. Mimi sighed and removed the napkin over her waist and placed it on the table. "I'm going to go look for him." She said, not giving Mike a chance to say anything before she stood and walked out of the restaurant.

"Mim, wait a minute," Mike said, getting up to follow her. He realized that the other men were looking at him, "Excuse us for a second." He said, before following her. Outside, Mimi was standing outside, phone to her ear, and looking each way. "He's not out here." She said when Mike joined her.

Once again, before Mike could say anything, he was interrupted by a familiar ringtone. It was Austin's. Both of them followed the sound, hoping to find their son. When all they found was a phone on the boardwalk, screen lit up with Mimi's picture and the name, _Mom_ , Mimi almost cried. Mike picked up the phone, then looked at his wife.

_Where was Austin?_


	2. Chapter 2

It was silent in the room. Austin was standing between Dez and the girls, not sure what to do. The shorter girl spoke up first, "Dez, do you wanna explain to us who this is guy is?" She said, looking slightly annoyed. Dez coughed.

"Oh, right. Well you see..." He stuttered. "Dez? It's alright, just tell us who he is." The brunette said, moving a step closer. Dez sighed, "You remember that really rich kid who is supposed to be on the ship?" He questioned. Both girls nodded, then froze. "No way." The shorter girl said, a breathy whisper.

"You're Alistair Kennington?" The brunette finished for her friend. Both of them had their eyes wide, disbelief evident in their features. Austin didn't do anything at first, but then nodded his head, "Yes, that's me." He said, "You are?" He continued, going back into the accent. The brunette introduced herself first, "Ally" She said. "Trish," said the shorter girl right after.

Austin nodded, and then Dez clapped his hands together. "Uh, Alistair, these are my friends that I share the room with." Austin nodded, understanding. "Okay, um. Glad you three got to meet, but I should really show Alistair to his room." Dez said. Austin agreed and proceeded to follow the red head out of the room. Austin turned before he left, "Nice to meet you, ladies." He said, before Dez closed the door.

"Alright. Follow me and I'll take you to your room." Dez said, turning around to face him. Austin smiled, "Sounds splendid." He said, in his accent. Dez laughed and the two boys walked down the hallway. When they arrived at the elevator, the two stepped in and Dez pulled out his staff key. 

He put it in the key slot next to a clear button. When he turned the key, said button lit up like it had been pressed, though no one had touched it. Austin looked at Dez, confusion in his eyes. "What's that for?" Austin asked. Dez smirked. "Only staff can come up to your room, or anyone with one of these keys," He said, holding his own key up, "You're the guest of honor on this cruise. Er, well...the real Alistair Kennington is..." He explained.

When the elevator opened, the boys walked out into an empty seating area. It was quite large, a dark wooden table sat in the center with a large bouquet of flowers. On either side, there were fancy comfortable couches and love seats that took on the color of light blue. There was one large dark oak door directly across from the elevator. 

Dez walked up and pulled a hotel-room type key and swiped it on the side of the door. The button lit up green and Dez opened the right side door. Austin was gazing in disbelief. "You're kidding," He said, "Right?" He questioned. Dez gestured with his head to go inside, "Go check it out."

Austin went through the door that Dez held open slowly. The first thing he noticed was the large 2 story wall, covered in windows and a clear window door in the center. Looking out them, he could see a large balcony that wrapped around to the other side of the room, and he could see the magnificent blue color of the ocean. He walked further in the room, seeing a black sofa and two chairs with foot rests in front of them. Two small throw pillows were tucked into the corner of the sofa; yellow and red in color.

There was a dining table area behind the two living room chairs. The table was clear glass with three dark blue chairs on each side and two lighter blue ones on the ends. By the table, a small set of stairs led up to a small balcony area where he assumed the bed was. There was a sink, mini-fridge, and a small black trash can under the stairs. Still exploring the first floor, his eyes landed on something he couldn't tear his eyes from. 

A black grand piano.

It was shiny, looking new. The cover was slightly raised. Austin ran his fingers over a few of the keys, smiling when they echoed back with the familiar music notes. Behind the piano was a bookshelf and another window. Travelling up the stairs, the bed was the first thing he saw. Plain white in color, but the sheets and blankets and pillows made it look extremely comfortable. There was a small hallway to his right with two light wooden doors; one on each side.

He went back downstairs to see Dez standing in the center of the living room. "This is ridiculous." Austin said, still shocked. "This is the best public room I've ever seen." He finished. Dez laughed, "Good. It's yours for the week. Here's a key to the room, and one for the elevator too." Dez said, handing the two keys over. "Thanks." Austin said, taking them.

"Alright, I'll let you get settled. I should go check on the other guests anyway." Dez said, already starting to walk back to the main door. Austin followed him. "Okay, um. Have a good night I guess? Sorry, again. For, ya'know, kidnapping you and all." Dez said, an uneasy smile on his face as he shrugged. Austin gave a laughed.

"I guess I can forgive you." He said. Dez opened the door and stepped out of the room, turning back to look at Austin who stood by the door. "Sleep well. I'll come get you tomorrow." Dez said, walking back to the elevator. "I'll be here." Austin said. Dez got in the elevator and gave one last wave before the doors slid shut.

Austin shut the door and turned back around. This room seemed awfully big for one person, but he guessed that this 'Alistair Kennington' was used to things like this, being rich and all. Checking his watch, he saw that it was almost 9 o'clock. He reached for his phone that was in his pocket, but froze when his hand didn't feel anything.

He paused, tried his other pocket. Nothing. He checked his pants pockets as well. Still nothing. He looked around the room again, maybe it fell out? He couldn't find anything, here or upstairs. He stood in the center of the living room, jacket off in his hand. Where was his phone? 

He decided to try looking for it tomorrow. He was suddenly hit with the extreme feeling of exhaustion. The company dinner had already made him feel tired, so he supposed getting dragged onto this ship and having to speak in a British accent just increased the feeling. 

He went upstairs and tossed his jacket onto the bed. He set the two keys that Dez had given him on the bed-side table and went into the bathroom. He was to tired at the moment, so he would take a shower tomorrow. He ruffled his his hair in the mirror then did his business. The other wooden door led to another room that was like a small closest. He whispered out a 'whoa' when he went in.

It was pretty big for a closet. The shelves and floor was black, and there was a soft white rug in the center of the room. On the left were hanging suit jackets and underneath that were black pants that were folded. Tucked into the corner was a cabinet that appeared to look as if it was able to spin. There were formal looking shoes on the two smaller shelves that were in there. Blazers and vests were in the center next to long-sleeved plain sweaters and collared shirts. Pants were folded on the few shelves under that.

To the right there were jackets and ties hung up. Under that there appeared to be sweatpants and beaters folded on the shelves. There was a laundry basket and a few boxes tucked into the right corner, but Austin didn't bother to look in the boxes just yet. Austin undid his tie and set it in the basket. Thinking about it, he quickly left the room and grabbed his jacket that was still on the bed. He put that in the basket as well. He unbuttoned his shirt and took it off.

He slept shirtless at home. Would it be weird to sleep shirtless here? He figured it would be and grabbed one of the plain white beaters. He took off his pants and set them and his shirt in the basket and then grabbed a pair of black sweatpants. 

Now set for bed, Austin left the closet and pulled back the covers on said bed. He didn't notice it earlier, but there was one yellow striped pillow in the center of the bed. He laid back on the mattress and sighed in comfort. He sunk into the mattress; memory foam for sure. This felt way better than his bed at home.

The large blankets made him feel warm and snug. He turned on his side and shut his eyes, ready for sleep, but still unsure if he was ready for the rest of this week.


	3. Chapter 3

Austin was awoken to a strange voice calling a name that wasn't his.

"Alistair! Alistair, get up!"

He sat up on the soft mattress. The memories of last night suddenly came back to him. The dinner with his parents, Dez, Ally, and Trish, the cruise ship. _Alistair Kennington_. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and saw Dez standing at the top of the staircase, looking at him. "Hey, how'd you sleep?" He asked. Austin nodded and toss the covers back, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed and setting his feet on the ground, "Really good actually." He said.

He stood as Dez walked closer. "Okay, breakfast is going on right now in the Lido Restaurant.. You can head on down as soon as you're ready." Dez explained. Austin nodded again and stretched. Dez nodded to him and set down the stairs, yelling one more thing before he left, "I'll have them prepare your favorite American meal!"

Austin almost called out that he didn't know what exactly that was, but before he could, Dez was out the door. Austin sighed and stepped into the bathroom. He figured out how to use the shower pretty quickly. He spent a good 20 minutes in there, washing himself while also waking himself up.

He dried himself when he got out, wrapped a towel around his waist and went across the hall into his unnecessarily large walk-in closet. He didn't want to appear to formal, but he felt he had to be formal enough. Like Dez said, this Alistair guy was apparently a billionaire. He got dressed into black pants with a belt. He grabbed one of the white collared shirts, put on a black tie, and then threw on a soft light brown sweater vest over that.

He looked in the mirror and checked himself out. He smirked, _pretty fancy Moon. Not to shabby_ , he thought to himself. But something still seemed off. He pushed up the sleeves to his elbows then folded the white shirt to cuffs. He grinned, _much better_.

Feeling ready, he left the closet, shutting the door behind him. He grabbed the two keys that were still on the bedside table and went down the stairs. Looking out his wall of windows, he saw the clear sky. Walking closer, he could also see a few of the passengers starting to enjoy the many features of the ship, not all of them were here for business.

He left his room, making sure the door was locked, and went into the elevator. Then he realized he had no idea where the Lido Restaurant was. Maybe he'd find some help. He pushed the button with the 'L' on it, figuring it would be the lobby. When the elevator dinged, he smiled when he saw he was right. The lobby was as lively as ever. People were walking and talking through the crowd.

Austin stepped out of the elevator and was immediately met with Dez at his side. "Dez," Austin said, slipping into the accent, "I was just about to look for you." Dez looked at him, "Yeah? I was looking for you, too. I realized I never told you where the restaurant was. I'm gonna figure that was why you were looking for me for, as well?" He questioned, a slight smile on his face.

Austin laughed, "Yes, that was it." Dez gestured with his hand, "C'mon, follow me. The girls are waiting for us. I hope that's okay if we eat with them?" He asked. Austin nodded, "I don't see why it would be a problem." He shrugged.

Dez nodded. Austin followed him do the hallway and up a flight of stairs. They came into a large cafeteria-like room. Tables, seating from two to four to six, sat on each side of the room. Both side walls were covered by windows that gazed out to the open sea. The tables appeared to be an oak wood, a white table cloth covering it. Fancy wooden chairs with white cushions were pushed into them.

There were napkins that held the cutlery for every seat, and a centerpiece of a vase with different colored flowers. Across the large room, a buffet was spread out. There were a few people in line, while others made their way to a free table, and some others were already sitting down.

"C'mon, we'll get your food then we'll join the girls." Dez said, "Sounds good." Austin said, agreeing. They walked through the room and stood in line. When it was their turn, Dez said, "Mr. Kennington's meal, please." A few seconds later, the chef handed it to Dez, who in turn handed it to Austin.

It was an omelette, three pieces of bacon, sliced banana, a small cup of yogurt, two pieces of toast cut into four slices, and a glass of orange juice. Austin's mouth watered just looking at it and smelling the food. This looked delicious.

Dez led him to one of the table where the girls were already seated and eating. Ally was wearing a white and black striped tank-top, purple jeans, and pink flats. There was a pink key wrapped around her neck on a chain. Trish, seated next to her, was wearing a red shirt with black hearts over the front, a black cardigan with one white strip on it, black skinny jeans with various types of mustaches on it and black healed ankle boots.

Ally took a bite our of her toast as the two boys sat down. She swallowed before speaking, "Alistair! Glad you could make it, how did you sleep?" She asked. Austin set his plate down, across from her, while Dez sat next to him, across from Trish. "Surprisingly well, actually, thank you." Austin answered, "How was your night?" He asked, directing the question the all three of them. Trish was the one who answered, "Pretty good for the most part."

Austin began eating, "'For the most part'? What do you mean?" He said. Dez gave a weary chuckle, "That's my fault. I was snoring again, and apparently I woke up Trish." He said, "So she pushed me off my bed." He finished. Austin coughed, not expecting that answer, but Ally and Trish both laughed, so he assumed this was normal behavior for them. "Really now?" He said, "Interesting." He finished.

"Turns out the floor is comfy." Dez said, shrugging. Trish rolled her eyes and Ally and Austin laughed together. The four then finished their breakfast. A busboy came around and took their dishes, and also refilled their glasses. "So, Alistair, have you ever been on a cruise before?" Ally asked, "No, can not say I have." Austin responded. He gazed out the window, "Wish I had though. This view is incredible."

Trish took a drink of her own orange juice, then set it down and looked at Austin, "You have to hang out with us today. We can show you all the fun things to do on a cruise!" She said. Dez gasped, "That's a great idea!" He clapped his hands together and stood up. "We can go right now!"

The three didn't protest, and then all of them made their way to the exit. Rounding the corner, they didn't see the frantic maid till she was crashing into Austin, spilling one of the half-way full glasses onto Austin's sweater, and the rest of her load onto the ground. Austin gasped and threw his hands out. Dez, Ally, and Trish stared in shock at Austin's sweater and the woman, now even more frantic with picking up the dishes.

Austin sighed, ignoring the weird feeling of the wet stain on the front of his shirt and his pants, and bent down to help the woman. "I am so sorry, sir! I wasn't paying attention!" She said, breathing heavy and rushing to pick up the dishes. Once all the dishes were in the bucket, Austin grabbed her wrists before she could pick it up. She looked at him in the eyes. "Hey, it's alright. Only some clothes," He said with a smile, "Take a breath." He told her.

She inhaled and exhaled, already breathing steadier. Austin grabbed the bucket for her and they both stood. Austin handed it too her and she smiled and thanked him, then continued her walk, most likely to the kitchen. Austin stared down at his shirt and sighed again. "Are you alright, Alistair?" Ally asked, gaining his attention.

"Hmm?" He said, looking at her. He noticed all three of them were looking at him, "Oh, yes. I'm fine." He continued, "I might want to change before we go on this tour." He finished with a smile. Dez agreed, "Might be the best choice." He said, giving a small laugh.

The girls agreed as well. The four of them walked back to the elevator and Austin used his key to get back up to his room. The girls were shocked to see his room, eyes widening and mouths dropping. Austin gave a soft laugh and went upstairs while the girls and Dez stayed down.

"This room, is _ridiculous_." Ally said. Trish smiled big as she saw the big wall of windows, "This room, is _amazing_!" She said, copying Ally. Ally smiled at her friend, rolling her eyes at the same time, then moved to stand next to her and gaze out the windows. They opened the door and waited on the balcony for Alistair to finish changing.


	4. Chapter 4

When Austin had come back downstairs, he didn't see Ally, Trish, and Dez right away. He though they'd left until he saw them out on the balcony. He smiled and moved to join them.

He had changed into a different white collared shirt, this one with black buttons lining the front, with a black blazer over it, the sleeves once again pushed up to his elbows. He wasn't wearing a tie this time. He was wearing dark blue jeans with black shoes. He pulled open the door, "Enjoying the view?" He said, smiling when they all turned around with smiles on their faces.

"This is so cool. It's like you're on the top level." Trish said. Austin nodded, "Yeah, it's pretty close." He agreed in the accent, "So, what shall we do first?"  
He asked, looking at the three of them. Dez hummed and gave a glance to Ally and Trish. Ally was the one who answered, "Well, the lido deck looks pretty busy with people at the pool, so how about we start with mini golf?" She offered. 

Trish nodded, "Yeah, sounds good. How about it Alister?" She asked. Austin nodded, "Sure, sounds fun." He said, agreeing. The four then left the balcony and Austin's room, then got into the elevator. They left at the lido deck and made their way through the crowd of people in swim trunks and bikinis. 

They played a few rounds of mini golf and jammed out to the music that was playing, enjoying the nice weather and the soft breeze of the ocean air. They had gotten a quick lunch and ate topside while looking at the ocean. After they had finished, they made plans to take Alister to one of the theater shows that was playing.

Before they could leave, however, a basketball came right into their path, and thanks to Austin playing basketball for a couple years, he was able to catch the ball before it managed to hit Ally. "Whoa, thanks Alister." She said. She smiled at him and he returned it. 

"Hey, sorry about that! Mind throwing the ball back?" A dark-skinned boy on the court asked. He was wearing a grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up, blue basketball shorts and shoes that matched. There was another boy next to him, that looked like they could be brothers, wearing a navy blue long sleeved shirt, orange basketball shorts with a purple line on the sides, and white shoes.

Austin smirked. He had the best idea. It was only a half-court shot from where he was standing, and he could make that. "Can I try and make a basket?" He asked in the accent, looking at the boy with blue shorts. The boy nodded his head, "Sure, go ahead man."

He looked back and Ally, Trish, and Dez, who looked a bit shocked but smiled at him. He lined up the basket, took a deep breath, and shot the ball in the air. 

Nothing but net.

"Yes!" Austin exclaimed as Ally and Trish cheered and Dez just stood there with his mouth hung open. The two boys that were originally playing clapped as well. The boy with blue shorts gave a smiled, "That was pretty impressive," He smirked, "Wanna play a game?" He asked. 

Austin looked back to Dez, "Two on two?" He asked. Dez nodded, "I'm not that good, but I am related to a famous basketball star, so. Yeah, let's do this." He said. Austin laughed and Ally and Trish cheered and clapped. 

"I'm Trent, that's my brother Isaac." The boy with blue shorts, Trent, said. Isaac waved from where he was standing under the basket. Dez pointed to himself, "Dez," Then pointed over to Austin, "That's Alister."

As the four boys played two on two and the girls cheered them on, everyone was having a good time. They ended up playing three rounds, Trent and his brother winning the first, Austin and Dez winning the second, and the final verdict of Austin and Dez winning the third.

"Good game guys." Trent said. Isaac came to stand next to him, "Yeah, you guys got game." He said, wiping some sweat from his forehead. He and Dez did a handshake and Austin smiled at them, "Yeah, you guys are good competition." He said with his accent. Dez nodded, "Oh yeah, definitely. Thanks for the game, but we should probably be going now." He said, pointing back over to the girls. 

Trent nodded, "Yeah, thanks for playing with us," He said, then Issac stepped up, "We should play again sometime. Come find us whenever you guys are up to it." He told them. Austin nodded, "Yeah, sure thing." He said before he and Dez walked off to join back with the girls.

"That was amazing you guys! Alister, I didn't know you could play." Ally said. Austin smirked and shrugged his shoulder, "I played a little when I was younger," He said, "Had to pass time somehow." He said with a small laugh.

The other three joined in with the laughter and they all headed for the elevators. They went back into the lobby, ready for some dinner, when a man turned the corner and stopped in front of Austin. "Ah, Robert." Austin said, "Good to see you." He said. Robert gave a smile to him, "Alister, just the person I was looking for." He responded. 

"You were looking for me?" Austin asked. Robert nodded, "Yes, I was hoping I'd find you before the night was over," He said, "Anyway, my wife, Sophia. She saw you with these three and wanted to make sure they were invited to the dinner party tomorrow. So, I came to give you these." Robert said, handing Ally, Trish, and Dez small passes. 

"Wow, thank you." Trish said, taking hers. Ally and Dez took theirs and Robert shook hands with Austin. "Everyone is very excited to meet you Alister. They can't wait." Robert said, "I best be off. Good speaking with you." He said, before walking away. "Uh, yeah. You too." Austin said, before looking at Ally, Trish, and Dez.

"Was that a little weird, or was it just me?" Dez said suspiciously. Trish nodded, "Yeah, a little." She said, then gagged, "Ew, did I just agree with you?" She said, disgusted. Ally rolled her eyes as the two began bickering. Austin stepped next to her, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty hungry. Want to get something with me?" Austin asked, looking down at her.

Ally blushed slightly, "Yeah, let's do that." She nodded. He extended his arm and she put her hand through it and rested it on the inside of his elbow. The two walked into the cafeteria where they ate breakfast, leaving Dez and Trish in the lobby, still bickering with each other.


	5. Chapter 5

Austin spent most of the next day panicking in his room. He was absolutely freaking out. He was so nervous for the dinner that was tonight. A little after breakfast, Robert had sent a small letter to his room, saying how excited he and the other businessmen were to hear about Alistair and his family business.

Robert also made it clear that the other businessmen and women wouldn't bring up his parents unless absolutely necessary. Charles and Elizabeth Kennington were one of the most famous and wealthy business families the world had ever seen.

Austin tried looking all over the ship for anything that would give him any information on Alistair, or the business dinner, or anything! He had no clue what to say, or what to do, or who to talk to. At the moment, the only person he knew he could speak to was Robert, but Austin wasn't so sure that would be a good idea at the dinner.

Sure, Austin knew about business. Growing up with his parents running the mattress store, he knew about business deals and relationships. He attended the dinners and sat quietly while the men discussed their businesses. Now he would be in charge. He wouldn't be the teenager that was dragged to the dinner by his parents, he wouldn't be told to just smile and shake hands. He was making the business.

He was Alistair. Alistair Kennington. Heir to a billion dollar business company that probably everyone wanted to know about. Man, he would want to know about it. He could make deals for the mattress store. Austin knew how to sell the mattresses and make customers happy. But, he knew the mattress store. He didn't even know the name of the company Alistair would now be running now that his parents were gone.

Austin sighed. If only he had his phone. He probably left it on the table before he left the restaurant. He wondered what his parents were thinking right now. His mother surely went to go check on him outside; she said 10 minutes and she meant 10 minutes. Austin rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and went out on the balcony.

He leaned against the railing for about 20 minutes before a voice scared him, "You alright?" Austin jumped and spun around. It was Dez, leaning against the glass door. He was wearing a blue shirt with a gray sweater with multi-colored stripes over it, grey pants, orange suspenders, and tennis shoes.

Austin sighed and turned back around, Dez joining him. "What's on your mind?" Dez asked, leaning on the railing next to Austin. Austin sighed once more, "The dinner tonight." He said. Dez nodded, understanding. It was silent as the two boys watched the waves off to the side of the ship. Then Dez sighed, "I'm sorry I got you into this mess." He said. Austin looked at him,

"Dez, you don't have to apologize."

"Yes, I do."

"Dez,-" Austin started, but Dez interrupted him, "No, Austin. It's okay. It's my fault you're stressing over this. You wouldn't even be on this cruise ship if it weren't for me." He said. Austin knew he couldn't change his mind, so he nodded, letting Dez apologize.

* * *

 

Ally and Trish got off the elevator and walked up to the door to Alistair's room. Dez had disappeared on them and they went searching for him. Ally knocked on the door, but it swung open instead. It wasn't shut all the way. Ally glanced at Trish, who shrugged.

Trish pushed the door open and the two went in the room, looking for something suspicious or out of place. They saw Dez and Alistair talking to each other on the balcony, but it looked like Alistair was nervous. They walked closer, slowly and quietly.

"What if I say something wrong? Or I don't talk with the accent and then they realize that I'm not really Alistair, and then they'll have me arrested or throw me overboard-" Alistair spoke, but Ally and Trish silently gasped. There was no accent, and Alistair even said he wasn't Alistair...so who was he?

"Whoa! Whoa! Dude, breathe for a second and calm down!" Dez said, shaking Austin slightly. "Dez, I don't know anything about Alistair, or his parents, or their fancy billionaire business. How am I supposed to stay calm in this situation!" Austin all but yelled at him. "Relax, Austin," Dez said, putting his hands up, "We'll figure out something. Don't worry. I'll help you." Dez said.

There was a cough from behind them, and both boys jumped and turned to see Ally and Trish. Ally was wearing an orange top with jewels on it, black skinny jeans, and boots, and Trish had on a white shirt with a blue leopard print vest and blue jeans with black flats. Both had glares on their faces and their arms were crossed.

"Who is _Austin_?" Trish sneered. Ally glared at them with cold eyes. Both boys looked at each other then at the girls and gulped...


	6. Chapter 6

Ally and Trish stood, arms crossed over their chests, with glares on their faces. Austin and Dez were sitting on the black sofa that was in Austin's room. "Well? Are you going to explain or not?" Trish said, her glare increasing as she gazed at the two boys. Dez sighed and looked down at his hands in his lap.

Austin didn't want to say anything either. He rubbed the back of his neck, "So I guess it's obvious that I'm not Alistair." He said, looking up at the girls. Trish scoffed and rolled her eyes. Ally sat down on one of the chairs across from him and looked at Austin, "Who are you? Really." She asked. Trish took a seat in the chair next to her.

"Austin Moon." He said, no hesitation. Trish interrupted next, "Okay, wait. If you're not Alistair Kennington, then how'd you get on the ship?" She asked. Dez slowly raised his hand, "That's my fault." He announced. Austin saw Trish roll her eyes again, "Care to explain?" She sneered.

Dez sighed again, "Robert and Sophia came up to me and asked where Alistair was, saying they wanted to finally meet him," Dez started, "I panicked, and for some reason I didn't tell them that the real Alistair wasn't going to come on the cruise." He continued. "So I went outside, saw blonde hair, and didn't even think twice about dragging him on board." Dez finished, rubbing his hands over his face.

It was silent for a few minutes after that. The boys decided it was best for them to stay quiet while the girls looked deep in thought. "Well," Trish spoke up first, "I'm kind of disappointed that you aren't really Alistair, but I guess we can settle with Austin." She said with a smile. Austin smiled back at her, silent giving her a thanks.

"You're pretty good with that accent." Ally added. Austin smirked, "So, you're not gonna tell anyone?" He asked. Ally shook her head, "No, we won't." She said. Dez gasped in relief, "Oh, thank you so much!" He said. The three laughed together and Dez soon joined in with them.

Ally clapped her hands on her thighs and stood up, "Alright," She announced, "Let's get to work!" She finished. Trish followed her actions, and then Austin and Dez did. Austin looked at her, "Uh, sorry. What?" He questioned. Trish smirked, "What? You thought we would just ignore that you're not Alistair and then just go on our merry way?" Trish asked.

Austin looked at Dez, who answered, "Uh, yeah. Yeah, we kind of did." He said. Ally playfully rolled her eyes, "Did you forget that we overheard your conversation?" She said, putting her hands on her hips. Trish finished for her, "We're going to help you learn all that you can about Alistair and his life for tomorrow." She explained. Austin faltered, but then smiled, "Really? Awesome! I could use all the help I could get." He agreed.

"Great. We'll go get some things that might help, then we'll meet back up in an hour." Trish said, her and Ally already walking towards the door. She grabbed Dez's arm on the way out and drug him to the elevator, making him come with them. "I'll be here." Austin said, no accent this time.

Just like they said, the girls and Dez were back in an hour. Ally had a laptop in hand and Trish had a tablet and her phone out. Dez's arms were full of bags that appeared to be full of snacks like: chips, crackers, and granola bars. They set up in the small living room area. Dez put the snacks on the counter that was under the stairs, by the sink.

Dez pulled out a small stereo and placed it on the piano, plugging in his phone and playing some music. Dez also had one other bag that had three more laptops in it. Austin stared at him, "Where did you get three laptops?" He asked. Dez suddenly glared his eyes at Austin, "I have my ways." He said suspiciously. He turned away and Austin glanced at Ally and Trish, who both laughed. "Don't worry. He gets like that." Ally said.

Austin slowly nodded and then the four of them got to work. Dez opened all three of his laptops and let Austin use them. They all searched for information on the Kennington family. The first thing Austin did was look up Alistair's parents, Charles and Elizabeth.

Charles was a good-looking guy. He had dark black hair with blue eyes. In the picture he was wearing a spiffy looking suit. Next to him stood Elizabeth. She had blonde hair parted to the left with brown eyes. She was wearing a white lace dress with a few necklaces. Austin sighed. This must've been their last photo together before the crash.

"They were real pretty, weren't they?" Dez said. He was looking at the picture as well, one hand resting on Austin's shoulder. Austin nodded, "Yeah. They sure were." He agreed, "Wonder what they were doing." He asked himself. From the picture, he could see they were standing in front of a white wall that had smaller print over it, which reminded him of a Red Carpet.

"The Gala." Trish suddenly said. Austin looked up at her, "What?" He asked, Dez looking over as well. "The Gala," Trish repeated, "That was their last event before the car accident." She said, turning her computer around for them to see an article. The title picture was Charles and Elizabeth, looking the same as the picture Austin saw, standing next to Robert and Sophia.

He nodded, and he heard Ally crack her knuckles, "Alright. Let's do this."

* * *

 

The four walked next to each other, headed to the ball room. Austin and Dez both dressed in black suits; Austin with a black tie, and Dez with a red bowtie. Ally was dressed in a bright red long dress with a bejeweled bodice, and Trish had on a black leopard print dress, also with a bejeweled bodice and a long black skirt on the back.

They were walking pretty fast to get to the ballroom where the dinner was being held. "You alright, Alistair?" Ally asked, giving Austin a glance. He was fiddling with his suit jacket, fixing it where it didn't need to be fixed. He looked at her, surprised, "Hm? Oh, yeah. I'm fine." He said, slipping into the accent.

"He's got this. We worked hard," Dez stated. "Yeah, you'll do great." Trish added. Austin smiled at them, "Thanks you guys. I don't know what I would do if we hadn't done that." He said. Once the ballroom doors came into view, Austin took a deep breath. Dez clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Alright buddy. Let's go have some fun." Dez said.

The three nodded, and then they proceeded to enter the ballroom, Austin already being stolen away from them by Robert. He threw an uneasy smile over his shoulder as Robert pulled him to the other side of the room. Dez gave him a cheesy smile and double thumbs up. Austin turned back around and gulped as he saw the group of men Robert was leading him to.

_Alright, breathe. You got this._


	7. Chapter 7

Austin stood near the corner of the ball room. Ally and Trish were standing next to him, while Dez was busy grabbing a few drinks for them. A few of the businessmen had struck up a conversation with him, and thanks to Dez, Trish, and Ally, he was able to carry out the conversations for quite a while.

They had been studying the whole day, preparing Austin for this. Ally had said this party was all about business partnerships. Plus, Austin had a skill in business deals, thanks to listening to his own father and mother with the mattress store.

So far, the night was going smooth. Dez had come back from the bar and had handed them each a glass of sparkling cider, and the four were now standing in the back, quietly speaking to each other, Austin with a British accent in case anyone was to approach them. Everything was going great.

The band was playing some classical song that a few couples were dancing to in the center of the room, others mingled with each other with drinks in hand, and some were seated at the tables and enjoying the food.

Then the shot went off.

It was extremely loud, Austin dropping his glass of cider, hearing it shatter on the floor. He spun around, eyes wide. Ally, Trish, and Dez looked the same. A few women were standing close to and behind some of the men and everyone was now on their feet. Everyone was staring at the four people who had just barged into the room, interrupting the night.

There were four of them. Two in the back, both males, dressed in black suits and wearing the same black masks. They had two large guns, both pointed at the crowd. The two in the front were dressed formal, for a party, no coverings to hide who they were. Austin gasped.

It was Robert and Sophia. They both had crude smirks on their faces. Sophia's hand was resting on Robert's elbow. It reminded Austin of his parents, they way they walked together. Sophia unhooked her hand and Robert stepped forward, "Alright, all of you are smart people. Do as your told, shut your trap, and no one gets hurt." He explained, his arms out by his side. The room was deathly quiet.

One man on the other side of the room from Austin stepped forward, but he didn't get far. He opened his mouth to speak, but another shot rang out and he jumped back, a smoking hole in the flooring where his feet once stood. Robert shook his head, a fake smile plastered over his features, "No one gets to speak. I've only got one thing in mind and it's happening tonight. Right now." He said, pausing. His eyes landed on Austin, and Austin got a sick feeling in his gut.

"Alistair," He continued, "Do come here, would you?"

Austin's mind went blank. He didn't move, momentarily forgetting he was the 'Alistair' Robert was waiting for. His brain finally caught up with him when two large hands grabbed both of his biceps, pulling him across the floor to stand near Robert, "What are you doing, Robert?" Austin asked, trying to get the grip off his arms.

There was sharp sting across on his cheek and he heard gasps fill the room. His head turned with the force of the slap, and he saw Trish and Ally looking at him with wide eyes, and Dez messing with his blazer. The man holding onto Austin tightened his grip and made him turn to face Robert again. Robert was looking at him with anger present in his demeanor.

Robert straightened his tux, wrapped an arm around Sophia's waist and turned to the door. "Let's go." He said, starting to walk out, pausing by the door, "Watch them." At the gunman's nod, he continued. The two left the room and the man holding onto Austin pulled him along. Austin tried to break free, but the grip tightened even more and he winced. He got one last look at Ally, Trish and Dez.

They were whispering to each other, and Dez was doing something on his phone. The door was then slammed shut by the gunman, and Austin stumbled forward when the man behind him pushed him. He turned around and saw Robert and Sophia smiling at each other, whispering and giving small laughs.

He took a deep breath, and he was pushed once more. Dez, Ally, and Trish would help him. He knew they could, he knew they would. He just had to keep being Alistair. He couldn't break character now, no matter how scared he actually was. He tried to calm his frantic heart by taking another deep breath.

Everything was going to be okay.

_It had to be._


	8. Chapter 8

Austin had been forced to follow Robert and Sophia all the way to the bow of the ship, where a sleek silver military-looking helicopter rested. More men with guns surrounded it. Austin didn't stop trying to get away and continued to struggle.

"Let go of me!" He yelled, trying to break free of the larger man's grip on his arms. Robert swirled around quickly, grabbed Austin's jaw and forced his chin up. He smirked when he saw the slight red mark on Austin's cheek. "Listen here kid. I don't need your commentary through this trip alright? You can either go peacefully, or Peter here can force you. I will not hesitate to tie you up." He snarled, gesturing to the man behind Austin, Peter.

Austin didn't understand, "What happened to you, Robert? I thought you were one of my father's closest friends! What are you doing?" Austin asked. Robert let go of his jaw, "Don't get me wrong, Charles Kennington was a great man. He was a great man with a lot of money." He said, and that was all Austin needed. He knew how most business relationships worked.

"You just pretended to be his friend just so you could get his money?" Austin said, disgust in his accented voice. Robert laughed, "Of course I did" He said, not even bothering to lie, "Your father was a great businessman, but he was blind. He refused to take me up on my partnership. I tried to convince him as best I could." Robert explained, "I even sent Sophia to get friendly with your mother! I couldn't get them to do anything for me. So I took matters into my own hands."

 _Took matters into my own hands_? What did Robert mean by--

" _You killed them_." Austin said in a breathy whisper, eyes becoming wide as he put the clues together.

* * *

 

"Dez, what are you doing?" Ally whispered, trying to look natural. Dez was hiding slightly in the corner, behind one of the large potted plants that were in every corner. "Sh..." He said, reaching back into his blazer and pulling out his phone.

From where they stood, Ally and Trish could see him text a message to the co-captain of the ship, who should be in the bridge since the captain was currently in this same room.

_Shooters on board. Call help. Alistair taken._

He made it short and sweet, then quickly put the phone away, confident that the co-captain would take care of it.

He just had to hope that he would be quick...

* * *

 

"Sir, we have to leave now." One of the men standing by the helicopter said. Robert nodded to him. He hooked arms with Sophia and started walking towards the copter. Austin refused to move. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. He was so upset and overwhelmed with this feeling of uncontrollable anger.

Robert, with the help of Sophia, had told him about how they had staged the accident that apparently killed Charles and Elizabeth Kennington. They had forgotten about Alistair in their little evil plot. Even with the two being the closest friends, Robert and Sophia had never been able to catch a glimpse of the real Alistair whenever they visited the Kenningtons.

Charles made sure that no one saw his son for business reasons. Alistair was the Kennington's weakest point. If anyone was to take advantage of Charles, Alistair would be the way to do it. So, Charles did the reasonable thing and hid Alistair away. The real Alistair didn't seem to mind though. After a full year after his parents' deaths, this cruise was supposed to be his first public appearance, and now everyone thought he looked like Austin did.

Austin shook his head, swinging his arm back and elbowing Peter in the stomach. Peter made a surprised and pain-filled sound as Austin shook free from his grip. Austin ran to Robert, Peter right on his heels. Austin grabbed Robert's shoulder, spun him around, and punched him square in the nose.

Robert yelled in pain and actually fell on the ground. Austin soon joined him when he was tackled by Peter. Austin groaned, Peter's knee was digging into his back, and Peter's hand was keeping Austin's head to the ground and Austin could feel his lip sting. He must've cut it. Austin could see Sophia helping Robert to his feet, whose nose was bleeding and already giving off a purple tint. Austin smirked in his head, at least he got a good hit.

"You little-" Robert begun, a nasty snarl on his face, blood dripping over his lip. He quickly walked over to Austin, shoved Peter off of him and punched him hard on the chin. Austin groaned and coughed blood from his mouth. Robert then kicked him in the ribs, knocking the air from him. Not giving him any time to catch his breath, Robert kicked him, again, harder, in the same place. It appeared he was about to do it again, when Sophia grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Austin wrapped his arms around his stomach, groaning in pain.

"Tie him up. We're leaving." Robert demanded. He continued his walk to the copter with Sophia as one of the men came over to Austin and Peter with rope and some duct tape. Austin tried to resist, but Peter had already grabbed both his arms and wrenched them behind his back, the man handing the rope over and Peter tying his wrists together. The man had ripped off a piece of duct tape and forcefully placed his over Austin's mouth.

Peter and the man had then worked together on grabbing his legs, which he kicked everywhere, once managing to kick the stranger in the jaw. He recoiled, seeing the nasty glare on Austin's face. The man and Peter secured his ankles and tied them tightly with rope. Austin attempted to move his knees to try and loosen the tape, but the man had grabbed the role of duct tape and wrapped them around Austin's knees.

Austin was helpless now, he could barely move. Peter picked him up by his waist and then hefted him over his shoulder. The force of his stomach making contact with Peter's shoulder caused him more pain, and he groaned. Robert was waiting by the helicopter. Sophia was seated in the passenger seat next to the pilot.

"Get him in here." Robert smirked. Peter casually threw Austin into the copter like a sack of potatoes. He slammed against the base of the copter and groaned again. Robert climbed in after him and sat down. Austin tried his best to send him a glare.

Robert grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled him across the copter, closer to the seat where Robert was seated. Robert pulled him up so he was sitting next to him. Robert told the pilot go and Austin's heart dropped to his feet. He could feel the propellers start to turn. This could be the last time he sees Ally, Trish and Dez. Even his parents! And worst of all; he'd have to keep being Alistair. Robert would surely kill him once he found out.

There was a loud screech sound, and then a speakerphone came on, "Come out with your hands up! You're surrounded!" Austin looked out on the ship to see men and women in police uniforms, and another helicopter in the air, drifted on the side of the ship.

Getting Robert, Sophia and the pilot out of the copter was surprisingly easy. When the pilot fled in fear, Robert climbed into his seat, prepared to leave anyway. Two police officers snuck up on the side and climbed in. One went to Robert and pointed a gun to his head, talking low and forcing them to get out slowly. The other went to Austin and cut the rope and duct tape that held his legs.

The rope around his wrists and the tape on his mouth was taken off as well, and then he was taken to one of the medics that had joined them on the bow. He sat down on one of the foldable chairs. The woman checked him over and wrapped a bandage around his stomach, and he could already feel it helping him. She gave him some ice for his lip and cheek.

"Alistair!"

Austin turned toward the three familiar voices. It was Ally, Trish, and Dez. He smiled and stood up, just in time for the three of them to hug him. "We're so glad your okay!" Ally said, her face pressed against his chest, "We were so worried." She announced. "Thanks to Dez here, we were able to get help and save you!" Trish explained. Dez shrugged, "It was nothing." He said, but there was a smug smile on his face.

Austin gave a soft laugh, "Thanks Dez. You just saved my life. All three of you. I don't know what they would've done to me." He explained in the accent, truly appreciative. The medic came back, a soft smile on her face, "Alright. Best to leave Mr. Kennington be right now. He needs rest, he needs it now." She said. Dez nodded, "Of course. The captain asked us to escort him to his room." The medic nodded to the information and walked away.

Austin groaned as the pain over his ribs shifted when he turned. Dez grabbed his arm and wrapped it around his shoulder. "C'mon, let's get you to your room." Austin nodded, agreeing. Once the four were in the elevator, Ally spoke up, "How are you feeling, Austin?" She asked.

Austin put a hand over his stomach, "I just want to sleep forever right now." He said with a laugh.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Austin woke up on the soft memory foam mattress of his bed. There was pressure over both his legs, as if something was on top of them. He pried his eyes open, wincing when his lip gave a dull throb. He tried to sit up, and his ribs protested that as well.

He went to move his hand, but his arm seemed to be stuck next to him. He turned his head to see Ally laying next to him, hugging his arm with her head resting on his bicep. She was wearing a pink tank-top and green sweatpants. He smiled at her, but his smile quickly dropped when a loud snore came from the other side of Ally. He sat up a bit, careful not to wake Ally, and saw Trish. She was curled up on her side, but her head was on Ally's stomach, and she had on a white t-shirt with pink rims and pink sweatpants with polka-dots.

He rolled his eyes playfully. Something moved on his leg and he turned his head and smiled again. Dez was there, his own legs over Austin's. Dez had on a full pajama outfit that looked like a Sudoku puzzle. Plus, Ally's legs were over Dez's chest, and he was holding onto her ankle. Austin gave a small laugh at their positions. He smiled and then laid back down, getting a few more minutes of sleep would make him feel better.

* * *

 

The next time Austin woke up, he was alone on the bed. He sat up slowly, placing his hand over his ribs, and he put his feet on the ground. He heard the door open and a voice shout, "I'm back!" It was Dez. Austin stood up and went to the railing. Ally and Trish were sitting down in the living room. Ally was wearing a black shirt with paint designs over it, red skinny jeans, and sandals. Trish had on a mutli-colored shirt that cut between the shoulder and cuff of the sleeve, showing her bicep, and black jeans with red flats.

Dez had just walked in, wearing pants that were white in the front and black in the back, with a black t-shirt and a jacket over it that was black, white and red. He had two bags in each of his hands. "Where's the party at?" Austin asked, looking down on them and smiling when all three looked up to him. Ally smiled, "Austin! You're awake." She said.

"How are you feeling?" Trish asked. Austin left the balcony and went down the stairs, only to be greeted by Ally giving him a hug. He was surprised at first, but then hugged her back. "I'm glad you're okay." She said. He smiled down at her, and then they were being squished together by Dez. He had both arms around them and a big smile on his face, "Yay! I love group hugs! C'mon Trish!" He said, turning his head.

"No thanks. How about we start on this breakfast?" She said, holding the two bags that Dez handed to her when he came over for the hug. "That sounds like a good idea." Austin said, "I'm going to go get dressed." He said. He went upstairs and he saw Ally, Trish, and Dez move towards the counters.

He went into the bathroom first and checked himself out in the mirror. The bottom left of his lip was scabbed, and his cheek was starting to form a pretty visible bruise. He lifted his shirt up, the soft bandage that the medic had put on yesterday was still there. He slowly took it off, revealing the ugly dark purple bruise across his abdomen. He winced and grabbed a new roll of bandage.

Once finished, he dropped his shirt and left the bathroom. He went into the closet and got out of his pajamas. He changed into a white t-shirt with a black blazer over it, and tan pants with white shoes. He smelled bacon when he left the closet. He went downstairs and saw Ally and Trish setting the table.

"Hey, what did you grab? It smells great." He said. Ally looked to him once he left the stairs. "Whoa, Austin, you look dapper." She said with a smile. He smirked and pretend to flick dust of his shoulder, "I try." He said with a smile.  
"Alright, time to eat!" Dez said, bringing the food to the table. All four of them sat down and begun to eat.

* * *

 

The four of them stayed in Austin's room for most of the day. Once they finished breakfast, Dez had to leave for a few minutes to make a 'very important' phone call. Then he came back saying the captain wanted all four of them to join him and his wife for dinner.

Ally played the piano for a while, and Dez managed to find a guitar for Austin to play. The four of them sang songs and just lounged around and relaxed, something Austin was glad for. His ribs were sore, plus his cheek and lip were stinging pretty bad. Ally had grabbed some ice from his small mini-fridge and gave it to him to put on his cheek.

He thanked her and placed the cold pack on his cheek and sighed in bliss. He laid back on the sofa and closed his eyes. Trish and Dez were fighting over which channel to watch on the TV and Ally was silently sitting next to him.

Before he knew it, Austin was being shaken awake by Ally. "Austin, Austin. Wake up." She said. "Hmm?" He said, still half-asleep. He looked up to see Ally standing over him, her lips red. She was wearing different clothes, a sparkly red dress. Austin sat up, wincing when his ribs protested, and looked around. "What time is it?" He asked, looking at her, "Why'd you change?" He asked.

Ally smiled at him, "Austin, you fell asleep. It's almost time for dinner." She said. Just then the door opened and Austin turned his head to see Trish and Dez walk in. Trish had on a dress with a black bodice and a white skirt with black flats. Dez was wearing a light blue shirt with a black tie and black pants with black dress shoes. "You two ready yet?" Trish asked.

"Austin, do you want to go like that, or do you want to change?" Ally asked, looking back to him. Austin looked down at his clothes, then shrugged, "Well, I guess I'll change since you three did," He said, "Be right back!" He said, getting up and moving as fast as he could up the stairs and into the closet.

He changed into a long-sleeved dress shirt with buttons down the front and a collar with a pocket. The shirt itself was black, but the collar and sleeves were white and the buttons were brown. He put on black pants and black dress shoes. He was back downstairs in no time.

"Alright. Let's go." He said with a smile.

* * *

 

The dinner was nice. The four sat at a round table with the captain and his wife while a concert band performed on the small stage. The captain apologized countless times for Robert and Sophia, and Austin accepted them every time. No matter how many times he said there was no need to apologize, the captain felt obliged too.

Dez even managed to convince them to get up and dance to the band, as a few other passengers were doing. The captain and his wife danced together and Austin asked Ally if she would dance with him. She smiled and they went to the center of the dance floor. Trish danced with Dez too, but they didn't get to close, causing Austin and Ally to both laugh at their childish acts towards each other.

At the end of the night, the four found themselves on the bow of the ship, looking out over the ocean with the dark night sky full of stars. Austin was leaning against the railing. Dez and Trish were behind him arguing about something again and Ally was rolling her eyes at them. She then walked over to him, "Hey." She said. He looked at her and smiled, "Hi."

"What are you thinking about?" She asked. He shrugged absently and turned around, so his back was against the railing and he was facing Trish and Dez. "I don’t know," He said, "Just this cruise." He finished. She stared at him, silently telling him to continue. "It's been a wild couple days, hasn't it." He said rather than asked. She nodded and smiled, "You could say that again." She laughed.

They were silent as Trish and Dez bickered in the background. "What are they fighting about now?" Austin asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Ally shrugged, "I don't even know anymore. They changed the subject like three times when I was over there." She said with another laugh. He laughed as well before calling out, "Hey guys! C'mon, the cruise is practically over, do you have to fight now?" Austin said, pulling them out of their fight.

They both walked over and Dez put his finger in the air, "Actually, there is still 2 days left." He said triumphantly. "One, actually." Ally interrupted, holding her phone up to display the time of 12:01 AM. "It's already past midnight?" Austin asked incredulously, not believing it.

"I do feel kind of tired though," Trish said with a yawn, causing Dez to yawn after her. "I'm not tired at all." Austin said, giving a small grin when Ally stared at him, "Maybe it's because you took a nap after lunch." She said, giving him a mock glare. He put his hands up in surrender, "Guilty as charged." He said, causing them all to laugh.

"I suppose we call this a night then." Dez said, putting his hands in his pockets. The girls agreed, Trish yawning one more time. The four made their way back in the ship and took Austin to his room, saying goodnight and giving him a hug. "See you in the morning." He said, waving to them as they got back on the elevator. Ally waved back as the doors slid shut.

Austin shut the room door and sat down on the sofa. He wondered if the four of them would stay in touch. They were amazing and Austin didn't want to lose them. He didn't like not having his phone, he was sure by now that he'd have all their numbers.

He rubbed his temples. He was putting bad thoughts into his mind. He needed to stop. He went upstairs and changed into pajamas and laid down on the bed. He laid there for a good couple hours before he started feeling his eyes droop, then he fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

When the ship finally docked in New York the next day, it had only been 7 days after Dez had forced Austin onto said ship. Austin couldn't believe it. It had only been a week.

_7 days._

_168 hours._

It felt like a lifetime.

Only 7 days ago, he had met the best friends he had ever had, now they were going to go their seperate ways. Before anyone could get off, the police showed up and arrested Robert and Sophia and the rest of the men who helped, who were being held under cervelance for the rest of the journey.

All of the passengers got off the cruise here in New York. Austin, still in a suit and tie, stood next to Ally, Trish, and Dez on the boardwalk. Each of them had suitcases next to them. "I'm really gonna miss you guys." Austin said, looking at his three friends. "It's kind of weird to hear you talk normal, instead of with an accent." Trish noticed.

"Yeah, a little." Ally agreed. She gave a soft smile, "I'll miss you too, Austin. It was fun to get to know you, while also knowing you as Alister Kennington." She said, giving a small laugh. Austin laughed too. Dez threw his arms out and wrapped them around the girls and Austin. Dez squeezed a little too tightly, and Austin winced, "Ah, easy buddy." Austin said.

Dez released him with a gasp, "I'm sorry! Are you hurt? How does it feel?" He said, frantic, hands hovering in the air. "I'm alright, Dez. Still a little sore, don't worry." Austin said, a smile on his face with his hand resting over his stomach, "Trust me." He said, when it looked like Ally was gonna say something.

"Austin! Austin!"

The four of them turned toward the voices calling Austin's name. And Austin gasped when he saw who it was. "Mom? Dad?" He said in a breathless whisper. Behind him, where he couldn't see, Dez gave a soft smile as Ally and Trish looked at Dez in confusion. " _Ohmygod_ , Mom! Dad!" Austin yelled, running down the boardwalk to where his parents stood.

Mike and Mimi Moon had gotten out of the taxi when they had immediately spotted their blonde haired son. It had been 7 days since they had last seen or heard from him. 7 days, a whole week, of believing that their son had been kidnapped or worse. Mimi was a wreck.

Till they got the call. Mike and Mimi were sitting at home. Watching the news, listening to the radio, and waiting by the phone for any information on their son. Dez had called them 2 days ago. He had told them what had happened, that Austin was fine and he was being taken care of. Dez told them it was his fault Austin was gone, but they would be in New York in 2 days time.

Mike and Mimi caught the earliest flight they could.

Now here they were, holding their son in their arms as tight as they could. They all talked at the same time, Mike and Mimi worrying over Austin when they saw his bruised cheek. "It's nothing." Austin said, shaking it off. Mimi still kissed it.

Dez, Ally and Trish walked up next to them. "Are you Dez?" Mike asked, looking at the kids. "Yes, sir. That's me" Dez said, shaking his hand. "Thank you for returning our son." Mike said, a small smile on his face as Mimi gave a little laugh. "Well, it was the least I could do after I took him from you." Dez returned the smile.

"Oh, that reminds me." Mike said, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a black phone. Austin gasped, "Hey, my phone!" He exclaimed, then kissed the screen. Ally laughed.

"Thank you again, Dez. And you too, ladies. Dez mentioned that you were also helping?" Mike questioned. "Well, we were brought along for the ride." Trish said, giving a big grin. "Yes, sir," Ally said, nodding, "We became good friends with Austin. Hopefully we'll keep in touch." She said.

"Of course we will!" Austin exclaimed. Before he could get another word out, the cab that Mike and Mimi got out of honked the horn. The man leaned out the window and yelled, "Ey, let's go! I ain't got all day!"

Mimi gave a laugh, "I guess that's our cue. We better be off. Thank you once again." She said. She and Mike hooked arms and started walking off. Austin, however, stayed put. Mimi turned around, "Austin?" She asked. "Uh, you go ahead. I'll catch up." He said. Mike nodded, "Okay, don't be too long." At Austin's nod, the two continued walking.

Austin turned back to Ally, Trish, and Dez. "What's up?" Trish asked. "This has probably been the most exciting week of my life. And I loved every minute of it, well, maybe not the kidnapping part.." He said, pausing when they laughed. "You guys are the best friends I've ever made, and I only know like this much about you." Austin explained, pinching his thumb and forefinger together.

"Hey, we enjoyed the week too. You're a good guy, Austin." Trish said, giving a small punch to his arm. "I feel like we've know each other forever," Ally said, giving a smile. "We have to stay together. We are going to be the best of friends!" Dez exclaimed. Austin laughed, "Well, now that I have my phone, let's exchange numbers?" Austin suggested.

After that, the four did another group hug, a little gentler on Austin's behalf. "I'm really gonna miss you guys." He said. Ally smiled, "We know. You said that already." Austin smiled at her, then with one last goodbye, he took his suitcase from Dez and started up the boardwalk. He put his suitcase in the trunk and opened the door.

Austin waved to them, smiling when they waved back, then got in and shut the door. "Austin! Wait!" Austin rolled down the window to see Ally running toward the cab. She reached the window and took a deep breath, "What is it, Ally?" Austin asked. She reached into her purse and pulled out a necklace with a key on the chain. She handed it to Austin, "I remember you said you liked mine. So I got you this one, and I got it engraved too." She explained. Austin flipped it over, and along the shaft were the letters _A,A,D,T_  with a heart next to them.

Austin smiled, "Wow. Thanks Ally. I love it." He said, putting it around his neck. She smiled at him, "Don't forget to text us. We'll be waiting." She said, then stepped back from the cab. Mike told the driver where to go, and they started to leave. Austin waved one last time through the window.

After the boardwalk was gone from sight, Austin leaned back on the cab seat. He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that it had only been 7 days. 7 days and he had met the best people in the world. He hoped he could see them again.

Maybe someday.

_ **THE END** _


	11. Epilogue

Austin was in his living room face-timing with Ally, Trish, and Dez. He had on a simple white shirt and blue jeans, wearing the necklace that Ally had given him. The key was now on the same chain where his whistle was. He hadn't taken it off since she gave it to him, except when taking a shower.

It had been almost a month now, since they last saw each other in person. Austin still wore the bandage around his middle, his ribs not quite healed yet. They text each other almost every day and face-time every Saturday. They stayed online with each other for half the day most of the time. Usually they just talked, getting to know each other better, but sometimes they challenged each other to games like Draw-My-Thing and simple games like Rock/Paper/Scissors or 21 questions.

They were in the middle of 21 questions of guessing what Dez was thinking of when someone came to Austin's house. "Hmm...Are you an animal?" Ally asked, tilting her head. Dez shook his head over the screen, "Nope!" he said, popping the 'p'. Trish rolled her eyes, "That's all you've answered, at least give us a hint!"

Dez shook his head and just smiled, "You've got 4 questions left!" Dez exclaimed. Austin was about to say something when the doorbell rang throughout his house. Austin turned around on the sofa, looking towards the front door to see if he could see anyone through the windows.

"Austin? You expecting someone?" Ally asked, her and the others hearing the doorbell. Austin shook his head slowly, "No.." he said, then stood up, "I'll be right back." He disappeared from the screen and the three waited for him to return.

Austin couldn't see anything through the windows that gave away who could be at the door. When he got a little closer, he could see a sleek limousine parked on the curb in front of his house. Two flags in the front, one American and the other looked British.

Austin unlocked the door, and slowly pulled it open.

He almost fell over.

Standing across from him, on his front porch, in a shiny black suit, was....him? No, wait that's not possible. Behind this doppelganger, two larger men in suits with earpieces stood on either side of him. The teenager looked at him as he opened the door, "Strange isn't it?" He said, no mistaking the British accent.

"Uh..." Austin said, then mentally scolded himself, "Sorry. Who are you? And yeah, this is a little...strange.." He said. The boy laughed, "My apologies. Alistair Kennington, I presume you are Austin Moon, yes?" The boy, Alistair Kennington, held his hand out. Austin stared at him for a good minute or so before he snapped himself out of it and shook his hand.

"Uh, yeah."

"Mind if I come in? I would like to speak to you."

"Uh, no, I mean, yes. Wait.." Austin said, then shook his head, "No, I don't mind, yes, you can come in." Austin said. Alistair gave a laugh and stepped in, the two larger men making a move to follow him, but Alistair turned and held a hand up, "No need for that, boys. I won't be long." He said.

Alistair walked into the living room and Austin shut the door. "So, you're Alistair Kennington? Like, the real Alistair Kennington." Alistair laughed again, "Yes, yes I am." He nodded. "Listen, I don't usually do this, but after I heard about Robert and Sophia, I had to find you." Alistair explained.

Austin nodded, "And just how did you find out? And how did you find me?" He asked. "Well, I missed the cruise for a reason, so I was surprised to find a news report of Robert and Sophia getting arrested for attempted kidnapping of me, when I haven't seen them since my parents.." He drifted off.

Austin nodded, understanding, "Oh, yeah," Austin said with a slight chuckle, "So you figured out it was me and you tracked me down?" He asked. Alistair smiled, "Well, I had to. My curiosity had taken over. I had seen another news report about 'Alistair Kennington, first public appearance ever!' and I wondered where the press had gotten those pictures of, well, me. But then I realized, they weren't me. They were you." He explained.

"Bet that was a shocker."

"You could imagine my response."

Both of them laughed, but became silent soon after because of how similar their laughs were. "Wow, this is really weird." Austin said. "Yes, but I suppose I should actually talk about what I came here for." Alistair said. Austin nodded, "Would you like to sit down? Something to drink?" Austin offered. Alistair nodded, "Please, some water would be just fine."

Austin nodded and went into the kitchen. Alistair sat on the sofa and waited for him to return. He looked around the room, and his eyes landed on the laptop on the coffee table. 3 people were staring at him, wide eyes, and the boy had his mouth open.

Austin walked back in with a glass of water and held it in front of Alistair, "There you go." Alistair nodded and said thank you, then took a sip. He gestured to the screen, "I believe we have some company?" He said. Austin, confused for a second, widened his eyes, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry guys! I totally forgot we were talking."

When Ally, Trish, and Dez didn't say anything, Austin continued, "Guys, this is Alistair, the real Alistair Kennington. Uh, Alistair, these are my friends Ally, Trish, and Dez." Austin introduced, "They, uh, they helped me pretend to be you."

Ally, Trish, and Dez continued to stare between Austin and Alistair. "Guys, please say something, this is awkward enough as it is." Austin begged. Ally coughed, "Um, hi Alistair. This is super weird. How'd you find Austin?" She said, and Austin breathed in a sigh of relief.

"It wasn't that hard actually. Your parents are actually owners of a pretty famous mattress store?" He questioned. Austin chuckled, "Heh, yep. That's them." Trish spoke up next, "Not trying to be rude or anything, but why did you track him down?" She asked.

Austin nodded, wondering the same, and looked at Alistair. "Well, I wanted to thank you. Even though you took quite a beating, I'm aware-" Alistair said, looking at Austin. "It wasn't that bad. Just a few bruises." Austin shrugged. Alistair continued, "Not only did you pretend to be me for a week, very good might I add, but you also saved my family's fortune. So, in return I would like to give you a check for 20,000 American dollars."

Austin gasped, as did Ally, Trish, and Dez. Alistair reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the check, signed by himself and handed it to Austin. "No way." Austin said, slowly grabbing onto it. "I know it's a lot, but I know you like music. Just don't spend it all in one place." Alistair joked.

"Dude, this is amazing!" Austin said, "Thank you so much, but I can't take this." He said. Four voices echoed the word, "What?" at the same time. Austin gave a small smile, "I really appreciate this, I do. But it wasn't just me. I had help from 3 other amazing people." Austin explained.

"I see." Alistair nodded, "I think I can make this work." He continued, "Instead of giving you 20,000 dollars, how about I split it 4 ways, and give each of you 5,000?" He tried. Trish immediately responded, yelling out a "Yes!". Dez laughed and said he could finally buy that awesome new camera that just came out.

Ally said she could buy that piano she has always wanted. Austin didn't know what he would buy. "That would be absolutely amazing. Thank you Alistair." Austin said. "It was my pleasure, Austin. Thanks again, but I should get going." He said.

"I understand. I'll walk you."

The two boys stood up. At the door, Alistair turned to Austin, "I'll make out the checks to you and your friends. Expect them in the mail." He said, holding out his hand. Austin nodded, shaking it and opening the door for him. The two bodyguards were still in the same position.

"Nice to finally meet the other me, Austin." Alistair said.

"Yeah, you too, Alistair."

Austin shut the door looking at Alistair as he got into the limousine. He walked back into the living room, sitting in front of the sofa, to see his three friends smiling at him. "What?" He asked. Trish scoffed, "Dude, you just met a billionaire who looks exactly like you. Oh, and he gave each of us 5,000 dollars!" She said.

"Yeah. I guess he did."

Austin's phone buzzed on the coffee table next to the laptop. He reached for it and opened the message.

 **Keep in touch.**  
 **You seem like a cool person, that goes for your friends too.**  
_\- Alistair_

"Who is that?" Dez asked. Austin smiled, "I think I just made a new friend." He said with a smirk. Austin sent back a quick text.

**Will do.**   
**Don't be a stranger and drown in your money now, ya hear? :-P**   
_\- Austin_

He set his phone back down and smiled as his friends began a conversation on what they would do with their money. Austin laughed as Dez kept changing what he would want to buy, when Ally was dead-set on that piano. Trish said she would just go shopping and go from there.

Austin still didn't know what to do with it. He had a great life. Thanks to the little miss-hap on the cruise, he had gained three best friends, and a potential new friend that just so happened to be a British billionaire.

He couldn't ask for anything more.


End file.
